12th March 2019. Hearts v Partick Thistle 2-1

This was the replay of last Monday’s Scottish Cup tie with a semi-final against Inverness Caledonian Thistle awaiting the winners. The other semi-final will feature Celtic against the winners of tonight’s other replay between Rangers and Aberdeen. I waited for a gap between showers of rain and left the house at just after 19.00 to walk down to Tynecastle. Despite the rain having stopped, for a short time, it was still cold and I went for a coffee before taking my seat in the stand. Hearts normally produce an excellent match programme but today issued a smaller cut-price version, presumably because the match was only confirmed after last weeks drawn first game. It was therefore disappointing to find three photos wrongly captioned and in addition an article stated Hearts played three matches against Morton in the 1976 cup quarterfinal when in fact the games were against Montrose. I know because I was at all three!

Hearts made three changes from the starting line-up against Dundee on Saturday. Craig Wighton, Olly Lee and Jake Mulraney replaced Callumn Morrison, Peter Haring and David Vanecek. While Morrison and Haring were on the bench, Vanecek was omitted from the match day squad. Thistle included former Motherwell and Celtic striker Scott McDonald who had retired at the end of last season to concentrate on his media duties. Recently appointed Thistle manager Gary Caldwell however persuaded his former Celtic club mate to make a comeback.

Hearts first chance came early in the match after Uche Ikpeazu forced his way past three defenders before he was body-checked on the right hand side just outside the penalty box. Lee ran over the ball at the free-kick allowing Ben Garuccio a shot at goal which was turned past his post by the diving Thistle keeper Conor Hazard. Thistle took the lead after seventeen minutes after a cross from the right allow Steven Anderson a free header at goal. “Bobby” Zlamal pushed out the header but only as far as McDonald four yards from goal who scuffed his shot into the net.  A chorus of boos from the Tynecastle support greeted the players as they kicked off after this scrappy goal. Sean Clare forced a save from Hazard before Hearts equalised in twenty-four minutes. Garuccio and Wighton linked well on the left before playing the ball to Ikpeazu just inside the penalty area. He took the ball further into the box before turning towards goal and shooting past Hazard from around sixteen yards. This was the strikers first goal since August following his lay-off through injury. Hearts took the lead from a penalty after thirty-five minutes. Mulraney chased a through ball and was fouled by keeper Hazard as he ran into the penalty box. Hazard was booked for the foul which was probably fair enough given that Mulraney was being chased by a defender who may have been able to clear the ball if the winger had got past the onrushing keeper. In the absence of previous penalty kick takers this season, Steven Naismith and Michael Smith. Clare took the kick. He sent Hazard the wrong way as he fired a low shot into the net.

The rain was heavy as the second half started and with the strong wind was blown into the main stand on several occasions. Hearts continued to press despite the conditions and Ikpeazu was denied another penalty by referee Madden after he turned Anderson in the penalty area who swiped the feet from under him. However with twenty minutes left the referee gave another penalty after Ikpeazu was again brought down in the box by a combination of two Thistle defenders. Apparently an agreement had been made with the coaching staff that if Ikpeazu earned a penalty he would take it. This was about as good an agreement as the current Brexit deal as the strikers shot was more of a passback and Hazard got down to save it. Wighton also had a couple of good runs in the second half cutting in from the right although his finishes were off target. Thistle pressed for an equaliser as the game entered the last few minutes and McDonald shot wide from twenty yards as he raced forward pursued by Garuccio. Thistle then had a penalty claim as John Souttar tackled substitute Joe Cardle in the box but referee Madden waved the claims away. Keeper Hazard came up for a corner and had to rush back to his goal as Clare burst forward pursued by a defender. The Hearts player tried to shoot from wide on the right forty yards out but in the windy conditions the ball went high and wide. After four minutes injury time the final whistle was blown setting Hearts up for their first Scottish Cup semi-final since 2012.

Thankfully the rain had stopped by the end of the match so I walked home happy with result after what, considering the conditions, was not a bad game. While Ikpeazu was the sponsors man of the match I would have gone for Djoum who was playing a deep midfield role. His tackling and passing was excellent and he will be a major loss if he does not sign a new contract at the end of this season.

Teams

Hearts: Zlamal, Souttar, Berra, Lee, Clare, Djoum, Wighton, Garuccio, Ikpeazu, Mulraney, Godinho. 

Subs: Haring, Morrison

Partick Thistle: Hazard, Elliott, Penrice, Anderson, Spittal, Bannigan, McDonald, Slater, Mansell, McMillan, Saunders. 

Subs: Cardle, Storey, Fitzpatrick